Eighth Annual RoadKill Nights Presented by Dodge Draws Largest Crowd to Date
Returning for its eighth consecutive year, MotorTrend Presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge ignited thrill and fervor at its novel venue in downtown Pontiac, positioned at the intersection of Woodward Avenue and West Pike Street, on Saturday, August 12 (2023). This year’s (2023) event, which was expanded to encompass a broader range of activities, garnered an extraordinary attendance of over 42,000 drag-racing aficionados, converging for an immersive celebration of automotive culture. In a fresh addition for 2023, the event hosted street-festival-style entertainment, featuring artists, musicians, and more, furnishing automotive enthusiasts with an exhilarating day both on and off the racetrack. The culmination of the day’s festivities featured a special performance by the internationally acclaimed musician and actor, Ice Cube. In addition to the racing spectacle, attendees enjoyed interactive displays by event partners, including Amazon, Mickey Thompson, Tremec, and Aeromotive.
“The eighth edition of MotorTrend presents Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge featured fresh new event elements, with a unique new downtown Pontiac event location, a new team format that increased the smack talk for the Direct Connection Grudge Race and an amazing performance by a world-famous artist to wrap up the day. The bar just keeps getting higher and higher for our annual horsepower circus, because we know it’s what drives our Brotherhood of Muscle,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand and Ram brand CEO – Stellantis.
The junction of Woodward and West Pike Street underwent a remarkable metamorphosis overnight, transforming into an officially sanctioned public-road dragstrip, where some of the fastest street cars in America raced head-to-head. Following the professional races, onlookers had the chance to immerse themselves in the racing fervor through Dodge Hellcat drift rides and exhilarating hot laps.
This edition of Roadkill Nights introduced an elevated level of competition with the Dodge Direct Connection Grudge Race. The event featured six teams composed of seasoned mentors and enthusiastic rookies – Team Sick-Bastards (Detroit), Team Corruptt (Phoenix), Team Dahminators (Los Angeles), Team Truck Yeah (Kansas City), Team Throtl (San Diego), and Team Soul Snatcher (Dallas) – each partnered with a Dodge Power Brokers dealer. These teams harnessed the potential of Direct Connection performance components to construct a Dodge or Plymouth drag car. Ultimately, they engaged in head-to-head confrontations on the drag strip, culminating in the victory of Team Corruptt.
Among the winning team’s accomplishments, Team Corruptt, guided by seasoned Grudge Race contender Tony Arme, worked alongside rookie thrill-seeker Kayla Rundle. They seamlessly integrated a Direct Connection Hellcrate Redeye 6.2L Supercharged Crate HEMI® engine and engine controller unit into their 1969 Plymouth Barracuda vehicle. Making her debut at Roadkill Nights, Rundle triumphed over Team Throtl’s Quin Clark, who piloted a 2001 Dodge Viper under the mentorship of Rickie Fernandez. This victory earned Rundle the esteemed title of the 2023 Grudge Race champion. Additionally, two-time event victor Alex Taylor, who participated in the Big Tire class this year, was present to extend her congratulations to Rundle on her triumphant achievement.
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Photo Source/Copyright: Stellantis